Basian

Basian, also known as Abbasian, is a town in Abbottabad District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, it is located at 34°4'0N 73°29'50E and has an average elevation of 660 metres (2168 feet).^[1]

The name Basian is derived from the Sanskrit word Bas, which means "fragrance of flowers".^[2]

The population of Abbasian is 1,580, many of whom are among the most wealthy in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. This village is well known for its Hindu temple and a merget (a Hindu place for burning the dead) on the west bank of the River Jhelum. This place was the first home of Ratten Khan, whose real name was Sardar Abdur Rehaman, an ancestor of the Ratnal Dhunds of Birote and Abbasian. An old cemetery tells the stories of tribes centuries before. Abasian also has a very beautiful mosque similar to the Al-Faisal Mosque of Islamabad but without minarets (which were removed after 2005 earthquake ) and a Quranic school. There are two private schools and one primary and middle government schools for both sexes.

Geography and Climate Abbasian is surrounded by the mountain ranges of "Lesser Himalaya". On east side lie the mountains of Independent Kasmir separated by river Jehlum. On west lies the mountain of Mooshpur separated by a local brook named Kneir,on north lies the snow-capped Makkra Pahar and on south lie the moutain ranges of Murree. Summer is usually brief. It lasts only three months i.e. June to August.Winter is chilly with occasional snowfall which starts from November till March. Spring brings blossoming of beautiful wild flowers and lush greenery.Abbasian enjoys the monsoon from mid of July to mid of August.

Notable people

• Anwer Saeed Abbasi son of Fazil Khan of Basian was the first foreign qualified architectural engineer of Circle Bakote who designed the Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat, Blue Area Islamabad. He also designed Facto Building Islamabad. He died a heart attack in 2005 and is buried in Basian. He was the elder brother of Zakir Abbasi, ex chairman of All Teacher Association Circle Bakote.

• Zafir Shah of Lower Basian was the first person who was punished during the rule of Zia ul Haq in Rawalpindi in 1980. All his property was seized and he was imprisoned for 30 months. He recovered his property and other assets in 1994 during Benazir Bhutto government.

• The first meeting of Ibrahim Khan and Sardar Qayume Khan was held in Basian at Dewan in 1948.
• Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Abbasi (Kashmir Movement leader and Grandfather of Sajid Quresh abbasi Jamat Islami leader in PF-45) who fought against Indians defeating the Phagri Mahaz near Muzafarabad. He was considered a brave person and one of patriotic leaders of Abbottabad. He was assassinated by Haider Khan father of Shahin Abbasi ex-councilor.
• Qazi Zafeer-ul-Haq Alvi Chishti was a religious scholar, teacher and hakeem (auovadik doctor). His father Qazi Mohammed Zaman Qureshi migrated Chlattan, Birote Khurd in 1935 and settled at Thala. He taught in High School Osia, Murree, Bakker and in 1951 he migrated to Rawalpindi with his family. He was personal physician of late Gen. Zea-ul-haq in 1985 till his death. Renowned poet and composer of Pakistan National Song Hafiz Jalindhry was his close friend and stayed in his house when he came to Rawalpindi. He establish his clinic at Pull Shah Nazar near Raja Bazar of Rawalpindi. He died in 1997. He was buried in Eid Gah graveyard in Rawalpindi.
• Muhammad Younas Abbasi [(AC) ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER] belongs to Abbasian performing duty in Skardu Baltistaan since 1975.
• Azad Khan is another renowned personality of Basian who was the second Chairman of Union Council of Bakote cum Birote during 1965-70. He was a contractor and constructed third pillar of Kohala Bridge in 1953. He died in 1985.
• Altaf hussain Abbasi, a very hardworking, self-made, resilient and well-off transporter of Abbasian,lives in Islamabad. He is a person with distinctive vision who himself, due to impromptu constraints, could not complete his education beyond matriculation but still invested his all energies and earnings to provide best professional education to his all children. According to him, his biggest feeling of achievement and satisfaction comes from his endeavor to educate his all children on highest level at best institutes. In this regard, he is a great source of inspiration for many others in the town.
• Muhammad Khushnood Abbasi is the first notable bank office from Abbasian. He served in Habib Bank for more than 32 years and retired as Assistant Vice President of Habib Bank (Murree Region). He is a trustworthy and softhearted person. His family is also among well educated families of Abbasian.

(We are thankful to Dr. Israr Ahmed Abbasi on providing the information regarding the geography and climate of Abbasian).

References

Abbasian is a very beautiful Village has its own culture

people of Abbasian are simple and much of them are educated